


Let it Go/ Let me Go

by CupcakeKat



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Dark Rey (Star Wars), F/M, Redeemed Ben Solo, Sad with a Happy Ending, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Spoilers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-25
Updated: 2020-03-27
Packaged: 2021-02-26 03:40:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,888
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21963010
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CupcakeKat/pseuds/CupcakeKat
Summary: What if Ben got to Palpatine, before Rey? A story for our star crossed lovers.Getting to Rey was Ben's only thought. Hoping he wasn't too late to save her. Not caring if he dies,only that the person he considers his whole galaxy is safe from harm.
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 13
Kudos: 36





	1. Rey?

**Author's Note:**

> This work is done on my phone, since my laptop is getting repaired. So please be patient when updating the chapters.

Getting to Exogal was easy to remember, but piloting an old imperium starfighter is another. Thank the force that Dad taught Ben how to make any rust bucket fly.

'Rey hold on. I'm coming' chanting through Ben's head, hoping that his message is delivered to his love.

After entering Exogal atmosphere was simple enough pending that Ben doesn't get shot down in the process. Avoiding both Resistance and Final Order troops to get the surface.

In the fashion of a ' Han Solo landing ' Ben sees an old x-wing that used to belong to Luke Skywalker.

'She's already here. I have to get to her' Taking of running into the temple. Ben carrying nothing but a blaster and a heart full of hope and fear for what is to come.

Jumping into elevator shaft and landing on the chain connecting the ground to ceiling. "Ow" Ben gasped in pain on impact. 

Wasting precious minutes climbing down, Ben ran towards the shinning light that is Rey in the force. 

Running passed the cloning facility. Passing three sith acolytes, blasting them before they could react.

Sliding across corners, Ben never stopped running, his pace never fading. To get to her, to Rey. Shooting over his right shoulder, hitting in the chest of another acolyte. 

'I'm getting close' Rey's signature getting stronger and closer. Looking to his left, catching the sight of Rey's white coat tails, before disappearing into a corridor of pitch black.

"Rey wait! We can take him together." Yelling as Ben followed her into darkness.

Darkness clouded Ben's vision. Rey's presence disappeared. 

Stopping and panting in lose of breath. Ben kept turning around in circles hoping to see her. 

A throaty laugh echoed in Ben's ears as a single light filled his vision. Ben found himself trapped with no visible exit.

"Rey...Rey? REY!!" Ben screamed, begging the force to give him a sigh that she was near.

######################

Turing her head, Rey heard a muffled voice scream her name. Rey could not find nor sense where it came from.

'Ben please be safe'

Rey continued her journey deeper into the temple. Towards her destiny.

######################

"Rey please don't do this alone." Ben pleaded, even though couldn't hear.

"She cannot hear you. But I can" the voice echoed in the dark.

Ben turned to the voice that has long haunted his memory. Snoke, Darth Maul, Vader and it was always him. Emperor Palpitine or his true name, Darth Sidious.

Ben raised in blaster to shoot jut found that he could not move. He was frozen in position, held captive be the most powerful sith.

"Now, now where are your manners? It is customers to bow before royalty, young Solo." Siduous explained rising Ben to eye level off the ground. Ben found himself almost ten feet into the air.

Continuing to struggle, Ben reached across the bond to get Rey's attention.

"Oh I'm afraid the bond between you and my heir has served it's purpose. To lead her to where she needs to be. Back to me, her family." Sidious cricled around Ben, attached to his life support machine. 

"You can't have her! She'll never join you. Rey is stronger than you think." Struggling to get the words past his lips, Ben continued to fight against his hold and stare down the Emperor. 

Cackling his old and dusted lungs, Sidious released Ben from his hold.

"I don't want her to join me. I want her to replace me. To take her place upon her birthright. To sit upon the Throne of the With Empire!" Staring down to Ben, as he cowers before the cloud of darkness of Sidious power.

Not believing his lies, Ben raised his weapon and gunned down the evil before him.

"My boy, did you believe I would not greet my heir and face you?" Sidious laughed as his voice and body faded from sight.

Fear and shock was evident on Ben's. Realising that Sidious was only toying with him and keeping him from finding Rey. 

A pain collided with the back of Ben's head. Collapsing to the ground finding all of the Knights of Ten circling around him. Trapping him.

Ben found himself out numbered and out gunned. The bond was silent. Rey's force signature lost in the darkness. 

Ben found himself truly on his own.


	2. Love is the Death of Duty

The walls kept getting closer as Rey kept moving through the maze. The Force is cold and her sense of where everything is has gone blurry with how dark the Force feels around her.

Turning left, Rey found herself at another dead end.

"Ahh!! This is impossible! How am I going to get through this?"

Rey yelled banging her fist against the wall to her left. The impact force echoing through the darkness.

Taking deep breaths "Calm down. Anger won't get me anywhere. Focus of the light and it will guide you."

Sighing, Rey turned to start retracing her steps but found an obstacle blocking her path. A wall. A mirror.

'That was not there before' Rey moved cautiously towards her reflection.

Thinking back to the mirror on Ach-to and how it tried to show her what she desired, using the dark. And how she was able to return to the light in a matter of seconds. 

This was different. 

This was...something else.

Rey didn't just see her reflection. But two figure's standing on either side of her. The shape was there but anything features were hidden in a shroud of mist. 

Looking back, Rey saw nothing but darkness. Yet the figures were still there.

"Mum?" Rey gasped "Dad?" She tried to reach out to them. They were just within her reach.

Upon touching the mirror, cracks started forming around her hand.

Retracting her hand, Rey watched as the cracks disappeared as well as the figures.

"No! Wait." Rey exclaimed.

Reaching out again, she didn't pull back as the cracks once again appeared. But Rey kept pushing her hand against the mirror, till her hand disappeared through the cracks. Phasing through the mirror.

Rey felt her hand starting to get cold and hot all at the same time. Continuing to push through the mirror, till Rey's whole body phased through the cracks into the mirror.

###########################################

Blow after blow, Ben was again knocked to the ground. Blood dripping down his head. Ben had no choice but to keep fighting if he was going to save Rey.

Rising to his feet, Ben faced his once-loyal knights and friends...comrades...bothers in arms. Moving left and right, avoiding every swing of Trudgen's blade, before elbowing him in the face and disarming Trudgen.

'Finally, a practical weapon to fight' Ben swung the sword and cuts off Trudgen's head. He didn't get to grieve before blocking Ap'lek's battle axe. In the corner of Ben's eye, he sees Kuruk preparing to fire his rifle.

Pushing Ap'lek away, Ben crouches and snatches one of Trudgen's knives. Throwing and hitting Kuruk in the chest.

Ben and Ap'lek continued to deflect and meet each other's blow of sword and axe. Ben brought the sword over his head and chopped the axe blade in half.

The impact of Ap'lek's weapon being destroyed allowed Ben to force push him into the wall, breaking his spine on the edge of the wall. 

'Three down. Three to go.'

Cardo charged at Ben with his arms cannon charged to fire. Ben used the Force to stop the fire and redirected it towards Ushar, who was creeping up behind about the to swing his club at Ben's head. 

Ushar fell back in pain as the blast had impacted his stomach. Falling back into an open hole to the cavern beneath the maze. 

Ben grabbed the blade of what was left of Ap'lek's axe and flung the weapon into Cardo's cannon. The cannon was damaged to the point that the weapon malfunctioned and exploded and Cardo was consumed by the fire, and he too fell into the cavern after Ushar.

Vieral, the last knight, waited on the sidelines waiting for his brothers to weaken their former leader.

"You had so much promise. You were the best of us. Both under Skywalker's watch and Snoke's, Kylo Ren. We followed you into battle and fought by your side." Vieral taunted Ben as he unsheathed his scythe. "And for what? Some scavenger from a backwater planet."

"My name is no longer Kylo Ren. It's Ben Solo, as it always has been." Ben swung the blade around his body and try to intimidate Vieral. "Rey is not some scavenger. She has shown me love and hope. To me, she is my world." Ben mounted the blade across his shoulders.

"Love. Is that it? Well... then it was true what Sidious said 'Love is the death of Duty'." Vieral looked to the ground. His grip tightened on his weapon "Then I will gladly give you DEATH!" Bring the scythe over his head.

Ben blocked the incoming blow and they both entered a standoff of strength to push each other off balance.

###########################################

Rey opened her eyes fining herself temporary blinded as light flooded her vision.

After adjusting for a few seconds, Rey found herself trapped in another room. The figures were not here.

But the room was different. The walls as a lightish grey and a small bed with dusty yellow drapes on the frame beneath a window. Overlooking a high view of the maze. Lighting continuing to stuck the ground outside. A cupboard and dresser with a mirror along the opposite wall. Toys scattered across the room on the plush navy blue carpet.

It was a child's bedroom.

"Ahh!!" 

Rey's head started pounding as the forces showered her various voices.

"Mommy, look what grandpa gave me."

" My little luna princess."

"Daddy, why is mummy so sad?"

"Logan our daughter is not safe around him. We need to get her away?"

"We'll come back, sweetheart. I promise."

"No!! COME BACK!!!"

Gasping in pain and falling to her knees. Rey realised that this was her bedroom.

She once lived on this planet, in this very room.

Picking a doll covered in dust, Rey realised that she was crying.

Tears cascaded down her face and pain began to grow within her heart.

The force exploded around Rey. Her sorrow and heartbreak broke everything that was around. She drowned herself in the dark and wailed the pain into the darkness.

Objects and furniture smashed to pieces as Rey wept, clutching her childhood toy within her hands.

###########################################

A smile crept across Sidious frail and sagged checks as the final works of his decades-long plan began to fall into place. 

They are both exactly where they are meant to be. 

Waiting for one to emerge triumphantly and one to fulfil their destiny.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rey's father name was never revealed so I just chose a random name.
> 
> Plus the names and weapons of the Knights of Ren are accurate but you can correct me if mixed any of them up.


	3. For Her

Fighting Vieral was taxing on Ben's strength as the battle continued. 

Panting and breathing heavily, Ben was finding that his connection to the dark was going stronger. It whispers flooding his brain.

'Use the darkness. It gives you strength.'

Shaking his head, Ben regained focus as Vieral brought his scythe over his head. KNocking the blow the left and using the force, Ben pushed Vieral towards the edge of the cliff.

'Come on. Your anger can easily overpower this weakling.'

"Ahh! Get out of my head!" Ben screamed into the air.

"Talking to yourself Kylo." Vieral chuckled swinging his scythe across his shoulder "Ohh how the mighty have fallen" Rushing forward, dragging his scythe behind creating debris.

Swinging towards Ben, the specks of gravel dust momentarily blinded Ben. Ben felt the full force of a kick to his stomach.

Falling to his knees, Ben dry heaved and tried to get his breath back.

"Pathetic! You had everything. The power of Vader flowing through your veins" Vieral taunted Ben as he circled his fallen leader "The Darkside and...First Order and the Final Order at your disposal and yet a woman. A scavenger from a nowhere planet was able to destroy everything that you've built." 

Bringing the scythe down over his head, Ben rolled to the right to move out of the way.

'Come back to us, Kylo. We have always been there for you. Let your anger free.'

"Raarrr!!!" Ben swung his sword around and cut the scythe in half shattering the blade into tiny pieces. 

Inhale. 

Exhale.

Ben felt the familiar strength of the Darkside and how it gave him focus.

Vieral staggered back of his only weapon being destroyed and seeing the familiar strength that Ben's anger withheld. 

"Rey didn't destroy anything." 

Moving forward step by step, his boots echoing in the dark. Approaching the cowering knight.

"Rey will never be a nobody, not to me."

Dragging his sword, continuing to move towards Vieral.

Vieral took a step back before his heel felt nothing below him. Realising he was at the end of the road.

"I will surpass what my grandfather was. I don't need the Darkside, all I need is Rey to show me how to be me."

Swinging the sword, cutting off Vieral's head, his body collapsing into the chasm below. 

Letting the Darkside go as Ben let the sword fall from his fingers.

Feeling free of the chains and for the first time, in years Ben heard nothing.

Nothing. 

No whispers or comments that would normally bring Ben conflict.

Ben finally felt peace.

Inhale. Exhale. As if he was breathing for the first time in years.

'Rey' Ben snapped back at the present moment. Grabbing his blaster from where he dropped it and ran off into the darkness.

#################################################

Tears were streaming down her face, as Rey clutched the doll.

Heaving and hiccuping, Rey tried to regain her breath. Rey's head filled with several questions.

'I was born here. I was raised here. And I had a family'

Looking around her now destroyed childhood bedroom. Rey noticed a crack in the wall above her dresser.

Slowly getting to her feet, Rey moved towards the crack.

A hidden panel in the rock.

Grabbing Luke's lightsaber, she cut a hole around the crack and force pulled it away.

Stunned in silence as the lightsaber reflected off the crystals of a tiara.

Clipping her lightsaber back to her belt. 

Rey's hand shook as she touched the crown. The blue rhinestone's reflected her image, back at herself.

Holding the crown, brought even more memories and voices in her head.

"She is the future of the Empire, as are you my son."

Rey was flooded with a memory. Seeing through the eyes of her five-year-old self. Watching who she believed to be her parents. 

Her mom looked beautiful yet sad at the same time, while her father looked as if the world was crashing around him. Rey saw her mother packing a bag while her father was talking to her.

"Logan do we have to raise her here?"

"Maria, my father wants us close. So he can protect us."

"I just think that she'll be safer...when she is far away from him."

"We can't just leave. All that Regina's knows is here with me and her grandfather. We can't take that away from her"

"Look you can either come with me and Regina or you can stay. But either way, I'm getting my daughter out of this place!"

"You're just gonna what...take her and disappear. That's no way to raise a child."

"It's better than here. I'd rather raise on some backwater world than here."

"Where would we go? Huh... where could we go that my father won't find us?"

"I have an idea. What if we separate? We leave Regina on a world in the outer rim and we could find a place to live far away from your father."

Rey watched as her father's face paled and stammered.

"Y-You just want to dump her and leave her?'

"We're not going to leave her. We'll just pay someone to look after her a little bit and we pick her up when it's safe."

"I-I can't do that. She's my little girl, my only child. How could you think of just leaving her."

"It's to protect her. And we will come back for her. I promise."

Gasping in pain, the crown slipped through her finger and shattered upon impact to the ground.

'My mother took me away from here. She dumped me on Jakku. Dad wanted me to safe' Slipping back to the ground, Rey grasped onto the remains of the tiara. 'She never wanted me to be raised with my father's family'. 

Rey's heart broke knowing that all of the hardships of Jakku could have been avoided if her father fought harder to keep them together.

She would have gotten what she always wanted. A family.

"Ahhh!!" Rey clutched her head as another memory flooded her vision.

Rey saw herself before the Sith throne with Palpatine sitting on the throne and watched as another younger version of self run into the room.

"Grandfather, why does mama look so sad?"

"You see my little luna. Your mother believes that you should be raised somewhere else."

"But I like it here. Papa says it's where we are the safest."

"He is right. This place is the only place where I can protect you, from the harsh universe."

"What do you mean?"

Rey watched as Palpatine rose slowly and approached the little girl.

"In this universe, only the strong survive. And the Empire is the strength that will restore order to the universe. And one day, it will all be yours, little Regina."

"But what about the boy?"

"What boy Regina?"

"The boy that cries. I sometimes see him and he's crying. But he can never hear me."

"Little one, that boy is your destiny. One day you and he shall meet and take destiny by the hand and rise to power."

Her younger self swung herself back and forth as if she was thinking.

"So... he is my soulmate?"

"Yes, the young Ben Solo of that mighty Skywalker clan, will be your soulmate."

"But didn't Vader betray you?"

"Yes but that shouldn't mean that his grandson pays the price."

Collapsing back to the ground. Resting on her elbows, Rey couldn't control her breathing. She started hyperventilating.

Grabbing her head, Rey squeezed her head and screamed into the air.

#################################################

Ben turned another corner before ending up into an open area.

Slowing his pace, Ben looked around seeing that he landed himself in an arena like room.

High above the ground on one end of the arena, steps of cloaked people chanted into the darkness. Their faces shadowed to the point that only their mouths are visible.

"I didn't think you escape your former knights so quickly. But here we are."

Ben turned around slowly, his grip tightening on the blaster as he looked upon the bain of the universe.

Sidious sat upon the throne will several tubes and chords attached to his back. His face, despite being disfigured, had an obvious scowl. 

Ben thought he hoped Rey would turn up first. But where was she?

"If you're looking for my Granddaughter, then I'm afraid to disappoint you. But she is...well let's say revisiting the past."

Ben clenched his empty fist.

"She is more than just your Granddaughter. She is the spark that light's the universes hope."

A throaty laugh emerged from Sidious mouth and lightning thundered through the sky.

"She is what the universe needs. A mind that knows what it takes to make the necessary risks to achieve peace."

"Through the Darkside? All that will bring her is empty promises. Just as it did for me."

Raising his blaster, Ben levelled the barrel at Sidious head.

"And I'll do it. For her. Together we will restore peace and your reign will be over."

Pulling the trigger, a blast echoed and the universe held it's breath.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rey's crown image link; https://www.dhresource.com/0x0s/f2-albu-g6-M01-0A-6D-rBVaR1tNoleATQ39AAJ7O8U0elE995.jpg/janevini-baroque-pageant-crown-headband-dark.jpg


	4. Deserving

After what felt like hours, Rey slowly come back to herself, until she was only hiccuping her tears.

A thought echoed throughout her head. 

'What if I give the universe what it deserves, not what it needs?'

Climbing back to her feet, Rey picked the fallen light sabre.

Crunch's echoed as Rey took a moved forward, as a door unveiled itself the stone walls. 

A blue rhinestone crushed under her foot as she moved towards the doorway. 

Not even once looking back in the room that was once hers. 

A room of a naive girl with simple desires.

Leaving behind Rey of Jakku.

Left behind the girl who was dumped.

And embracing her true name; Regina.

Regina Palpatine.

'I believe it's time for a family reunion.'

###################################################

Ben held his breath as the bolt moved through the air.

As if he was watching in slow motion, as the bolt crosses the space between himself and Sidious. 

The bolt stood frozen in the air.

Sidious had not moved an inch, nor a finger.

"Ben...get out of the way."

Turing on his feet, Ben saw the one thing that could make his heart skip a beat. 

Rey.

Her hand shook at the sheer strength of holding the blast in its place.

"Rey...what are you doing? We here to destroy him and save the universe."

Rey started to shake her head, stuttering her response.

"T-the universe? What has it ever given to us? Except for years of conflict because we can't accept a simple truth."

Sidious sat upon his throne and gawked at his granddaughter's power, as well of her reluctance to let him die. 

"What truth Rey? As long as Sidious lives, there will always be death." 

Ben tried to see the reason in what Rey was on about.

'The universe has already given me something. You.'

"And as long as the Jedi live, there will always be conflict. The universe...the Force... can't be balanced if only one side rules."

The ceiling above them opened as Rey and Ben continued their banter. The battle between the Resistance and Final Order was continuing, with heavy casualties for the Resistance. 

###################################################

Dodging bolts left and right, Poe couldn't get a shot at any of the Tie fighter's surrounding the communications tower.

Hitting the communication switch to try to contact the ground team on route to the com's tower.

"Finn whatever you have to do, do it fast! We're getting hammered out here!" Poe yelled into his helmet com.

While below Finn and the deserters continued of horseback shooting the Sith troopers. Clearing a path to the tower.

Jannah riding beside Finn yelled.

"We'll never get there if flyboy can't keep the Tie's off our backs!" 

Grabbing his blaster, Finn shot another trooper down before they could take a shot at Jannah.

"We almost at the tower anyway."

"You think Rey is doing OK, by herself?" Janna asked as she and Finn dismounted and hid behind panels emerging from the star cruiser. 

"Rey is going to be just fine. She's can handle anything."

###################################################

"Rey the universe needs the Jedi order otherwise people will keep getting hurt."

Ben tried to reason with Rey, but she kept denying every answer he gave.

"People get hurt with or without the Jedi and the Republic. With both the Old and the New Republic in charge people got hurt every day with how unjust the universe works."

Moving around Ben slowly, Rey ended up with her back to Sidious.

She manipulated the force to turn the frozen bolt into an energy ball.

"Slavery and domination ruled the outer rim outside the Republic jurisdiction and Jedi only intervened if the Republic's Senate allowed. Carnelion IV is a prime example, a world decimated by civil war, but because it was not aligned with the Republic." 

Twirling the orb around her hand, Rey continued with her exclamation.

"They just the people destroy themselves. Not even the Jedi Order were allowed to help. Because they were funded by the Republic."

Looking towards Ben, tears with threatening to cascade down her face.

"Like me. The Republic failed those people that they swore to protect. Thousands upon thousands suffered because the Republic and their Senate only cared about those with money and influence. Not even your mother could help them"

As Rey continued to talk, Ben came to realise that something was missing.

His connection to Rey had gone silent to the point, he couldn't even sense her standing in front of him.

"Rey...what have you done?"

Rey stopped talking and went silent for a moment. 

She looked down at the orb in her hands and smiled.

"I'm doing what needs to be done."

With a flick of the wrist, Rey drilled the plasma orb into Sidious chest. 

His screams echoed through the arena as the onlookers in the stands paused and stared in disbelief as their Emperor took his last breath. 

"I'm what this universe needs and I will give it what it deserves."

Ben watched, his heart shattering with every step Rey took.

As Rey took her place upon the Sith Throne.

As the new Empress of the Final Order.

"You can either join me...or be destroyed."

###################################################

Poe continued maneuvering around the enemy ships but couldn't get a single shot at the mini death star canon.

Looking around Poe realised what Leia meant at the battle against the First Order dreadnought.

The Resistance was taking too many casualties to claim victory.

That Chewie and Lando failed in getting people to help in their fight.

The universe has just given up.

"This is General Poe Dameron to all remaining Resistance fighters. Retreat. I repeat retreat!!"

###################################################

Hearing but not believing what Poe had just ordered.

'We're just giving up? After all, we've done to get here.'

Finn was stuck in between what his head said and what his heart said.

'Do I continue to push for the tower or run away?'

An arm grabbed onto his shoulder, shaking Finn out his mind.

"Finn!! You heard Poe we need to retreat. Comm On!!"

Rose started dragging him back to the carrier convoy.

"Rose we can't stop now! We need to push forward."

Gabbing Finn by the ear, Rose finally pulled Finn back onto the shuttle.

"Look around you and look out there at the battle. Finn, remember what I said back at the battle of Crait 'We can't win by fighting what we hate, but saving what we love' and this is the moment where we save what we love."

Finn wanted to keep fighting and went to move past Rose.

Jannah and several other defected First Order troops blocked his path.

"Jannah we have to finish this. We can't let them win!!"

Shaking her head, Jannah pulled out a taser and waved it into Finn's face.

"Rose is right. We can't win this fight. But we won't let them win this war. We may need a bigger army, but we also need people to give the universe hope in their darkest times."

Finn continued to fight.

As Jannah was about to taser him.

Finn started shaking and then fell unconscious.

Looking up, Jannah saw Rose standing behind him with her taser.

Shrugging her shoulders, Rose pocket the taser and turned to tell the pilots to get them the hell out here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Carnelion IV is referenced from a comic series 'Star Wars: Obi-Wan and Anakin  
> Volume 1' a story of an adventure between Obi-wan and Anakin before the events of the Attack of the Clones.


	5. Don't do this...Please

"Rey, listen to me. Whatever Sidious showed you, it's not real."

Ben pleaded to Rey. Moving closer step by step, his words falling on deaf ears.

"You showed me how to be Ben Solo again. Even though, no one else could see it."

Moving up the steps, at a slow pace. As if trying not to spook a tiger.

"Let me show you how to be you. To be Rey."

A smile stretched across Rey's face, as a giggle slipped passed her lips.

"My name is Regina, not Rey. My grandfather called me his 'little Luna' and my father called me 'his ray of moonlight'."

Raising from her throne. Rey moved towards Ben.

Ben felt the dark side reaching to him again. Moving back, Ben's legs shook with every step moving back down the steps.

"My grandfather didn't show me anything. I found out everything myself."

Grabbing Leia's light saber, Rey threw it towards Ben as he continued to move away from her.

Ben fumbled as he caught his mother's blade. Clutched in his, the saber remained off.

"I also remember...seeing you."

Ben breathe caught in his throat. Memories that were long forgotten.

Complaining to his parents about hearing a baby cries.

Hearing giggles during his school lessons on Chandrilla.

Seeing a little girl running through the fields at Luke's Training temple. 

"That is right Ben" Rey explained, seeing the truth dawn on her soulmate's face "This bond long existed before Snoke intervened. We belong together, but my mother dragged and dumped away on a backwater world. Keeping us further apart." 

Finally, at the final step, Rey reached out him. 

As he once did, in the burning Throne Room.

"Join me. And together we make everyone that hurt us pay." Her words dripping with the darkness that has long plagued her heart. "Together, we can save so many others from ever knowing the hardships of the universes unjust system."

Ben could see it now. Why Rey didn't take his hand almost a year ago? 

She wanted Ben Solo of the light. 

Not Kylo Ren of the dark.

And right now, Ben wants to see his Rey again.

His Rey of Light.

######################################################

Finn groaned as his body ached from being in the same position for...who knows how long.

Light momentarily blinded him, but Finn could tell he was in the med bay on the cruiser. 

"Hey, buddy. Sorry about what happened earlier. Rose used a bit more voltages than last time she electrocuted you."

Turning his head to the left, Finn observed Rose and Poe as they both worked on datapads.

Probably an inventory and supplies report.

"What happened? Did we win?"

Poe stopped working for a moment to come up with an answer to Finn's question.

Giving up on coming up with a positive answer. Poe gave it to him straight.

"No. We lost over half if not more, were still getting the numbers and as of right now the Resistance is in now condition to fight the Final Order."

Finn's heart felt heavy in his chest and he collapsed back onto the bed. 

Closing his eyes and thinking about all those who gave up everything for one shot.

Then Poe said something that snapped Finn's eye's open.

"There is something. The Final Order hasn't made any move on any neighbouring system. It's like their waiting for something, but I'm not sure."

Rasing up on his hands, Finn swung his legs over the side and stood up.

"What about Rey? Any word?"

Looking at Finn, Poe inhaled and shook his head slowly.

"We got nothing from her since she gave the direction to Exogal. We hailing her...but there is no answer."

Finn felt fear taking over his senses. 

Reaching out, Finn felt...somthing... wrong.

"She's alive...but something is wrong. It's like she is there but not there."

Poe and Rose looked at him as if he grew a second head.

"Okay... um, Kalonia can you check out Finn here. Rose may of overdone it on knocking him out."

Poe walked away to get a more accurate report of supplies and surviving members.

"Poe I'm serious. Something is wrong with Rey" Poe stopped and looked back the ex-Stormtrooper " And I don't know why...but I got a feeling that it's not going to be good."

Poe gave a firm look and a verbal promise, as the Medbay doors closed behind him. That Finn would be the first person to know about Rey's condition.

######################################################

Clutching his mother's saber, Ben wanted to just wake and realise that this was all a dream. 

Or one of Sidious's hallucinations.

But Ben really wants to wake up.

"Rey... listen to my voice. Whatever you found doesn't define who or what you are?" Ben brown eye started to sting as tears began to swell. "That doesn't matter. What matters...is that we have each other."

Gaining strength, Ben began to move towards Rey again.

"We don't need anybody else."

Taking another step.

"We don't the Resistance. Or the Final Order."

Another step.

"We only need each other. Please come back to me, to Ben."

Now, Ben stood five steps away from Rey. 

Looking into her eyes and seeing a blank stare.

"You once told me to let go. And I am."

Now Rey took a step towards Ben.

"I'm letting go of the girl who was dumped by her mother."

Another step.

"I'm letting go of the girl who was abused and tormented and scammed."

Another step, until Rey tilted her head to look into Ben's chocolate eyes.

"I'm am Regina Palpatine. Empress of the Final Order."

Raising her hand, cupping Ben's check.

"Every Empress needs an Emporer by her side."

Taking Ben's face into both of her hands, Rey looked deep into Ben's eyes.

Ben felt as if Rey was looking right into his soul.

"So I ask you again. Join me, rule by my side and help me right the wrongs of this universe...or... you draw your mother's weapon and fight me." Rey moved back as she ignited Luke's/Anakin's lightsaber. 

The blade turned from a luminescent blue to a deep menacing blood red.

"Win and the power of the sith will be at your command and I will be your obedient servant. The Final Order will be your's and my heart and soul as well."

Levelling the blade at Ben's chest, pointing to Ben's heart.

Ben's voiced broke.

"Don't do this...please."

Realising this is the exact situation Ben had put Rey into.

But this time they both might not walk away from.


	6. You...will...die

Ben's heart broke, as he ignited his mother's blade.

Raising the saber to the middle of his face.

He could see the turmoil raging in Rey's yellow turned eyes.

For a second, he thought they turned black.

"Such a disappointment." Rey's voice was soft as it was cold to listen.

Crocking her head to the left, she swung her red saber around her head.

Bringing it down full force.

Ben deflected the blow but the force of the hit pushed him back.

Continuing her unpredictable strikes, Rey advanced forward.

Forcing Ben backwords.

######################################################

'Finally' Finn thought as he was discharged from the medical bay.

Heading towards the main headquarters, Finn was able to see the full extent of what's left of the Resistance.

People sitting on crates with heads bowed and shoulders shaking.

Numerous boxes empty and people repacking weapons and munitions onto...what ever can still fly.

Fin stopped and couldn't help but think about what happening to Rey. 

Where she is?

What's happening to her?

Is she okay?

Is she facing off with Ren again?

The questions we endless. 

And only one person could answer some of the questions. Poe.

Continuing to the bridge, Kaydel ran towards him with several datapads in her hands.

"Good I found you. Poe needs you to look over the manifest and get a complete list of the weapons and ammunition count of what we have left. Plus Rose needs your help in moving spare medical and engineering parts onto the transports" Kaydel stopped talking as she noticed that Finn was not listening "It's Rey. Isn't it?" 

Looking at her properly for the first time, since getting back from Exogal.

"I'm worried about her. Has Poe heard anything?"

Kaydel was not sure of how to answer.

Biting her lips and shaking her head.

Finn face turned stern and grabbed the datapads.

"Where's Poe?"

######################################################

Anger.

Burning in her heart.

Rey felt anger at not only herself but also at Ben.

'He turned to the light for Rey...why can't he turn dark for Regina.'

Her swings were erratic but they kept pushing Ben back.

Rey noticed that Ben was running out of room.

He was nearing the edge of the cliff.

Brining her saber over her shoulder, locking in a stance with Ben.

Ben's strength was slowly waning as his soul fought to keep the darkness out.

The blades locked.

The only thing stopping Regina from forcing Ben back into the hole.

"One more chance"

Regina's voice echoed through the room. 

"One more chance to take my hand. Take your place by my side."

Ben face etched in pain, as his knees started buckling under the pressure.

"Love me, fear me. Do as I say and I will be your slave. Become what you are meant to be. An Emporer by my side."

Regina's face softens as she noticed tears started to form in Ben eyes.

"As the heir to the Jedi and I the heir to the Sith. Two that are one."

Using what strength is left in Ben legs, he pushed Regina back.

Tumbling backwards, Regina quickly regained her footing.

"I'd rather live in a world where I had Rey, not you. You're not my Rey."

Regina raised her saber, ready to deal the final blow.

"Then... you will die. By my hand, you...will...die."

Ben closing his eyes, welcoming death.

'Mother...Father...I'm sorry.'

As Regina swung her sword, a hand emerged out of the darkness.

Grasping Ben's shoulder, pulling him backwards.

Ben disappeared before her eye's.

Regina screamed as her rage exploded.

Lightning exploded from her finger destroying the ceiling.

######################################################

"Are you positive you haven't heard anything from Rey?"

Finn begged Poe. 

Shaking his head and sighing.

"Finn for the millionth time. No, we have not heard anything from Rey."

Finn face etched into pain as his turmoil raging in his heart and head continued.

Turning back to the hologram projector, a projection of the Final Order fleet remaining still and unmoving.

Grasping the table edge till his knuckles starting turning white.

A hand grabbed his arm reassuringly.

Finn turned to find Rose offering Finn sympathetic smile.

"I know I'm worried about her too" Nudging her head towards Poe "And so is he. But he is just better at hiding it than you."

A boom of lighting echoed in the room.

A wild wind picked up around the room.

Looking towards the empty corner, a strange shape appeared out of air.

The wind continued to pick up.

A circle of swirling black and blue vortex appeared.

A large form collapsed to the floor.

Finn and Poe couldn't believe it.

Kylo Ren was moaning and groaning on the floor.

Everyone with a blaster raised and pointed to Kylo.

"Shoot him and we all will die."

Three more figures emerged from the vortex, though with a more graceful landing than Kylo.

The one who spoke was a young woman...maybe a teenager.

The other two tall men were on either side of the woman.

Removing her cloak, she continued.

"Regina will reign hell upon you if one single hair is harmed on his head."

A young woman with years of wisdom evident in her voice.

Poe stepped forward, blaster still raised at Kylo Ren.

"Who the hell are you guys?"

A smile crept across her lips.

"My name is Ahsoka Tano."

Gasps and murmurs flooded the room.

"And we need to act now if we're going to save this universe."

Finn stared blatantly between the young togruta and the form of Kylo Ren.

"Where's Rey?"


	7. Hope

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Being at the start of lockdown sucks, but it has given me time to continue with the story. So here is another chapter. Sorry for the long wait but here...we...go.

Pryde looked across the bridge and proudly viewed the rise of an empire.

'The Resistance fled like cowards. The Final Order will bring balance to this chaotic galaxy.'

Breathing in deeply, feeling a sense of pride in what he has succeeded.

He performed a simple task that any imbecile could understand.

Defend our right to rule from usurpers.

Unlike that imbecile General Hux, who had not only lost Starkiller base but ended several officers, soldiers and the lives of their families and then dare to betray the Supreme Leader and our Emperor. 

Twisting around on his feet, Pryde walked out of the bridge and into the corridor. 

Officer and soldier moved out the way as General Pryde walked by.

Reaching the elevator, Pryde waited for the doors to open.

Before he could enter, an officer caught his attention.

"Sir, there is a message from the surface. The Emperor requests your presence immediately."

Arching an eyebrow, Pryde pursed his lips and gave a short firm nod.

The Emperor never requested his presence in person, always by the hologram. 

"Prepare a ship and small squad to accompany me down to the surface in 5 minutes."

The officer walker away typing on her data pad to follow his order.

'What reason would my lord have to request me...personally?'

The doors closed, Pryde re-routed the elevator to the hanger bay awaiting his ship.

####################################################################

Ben eyes felt heavy as he tried to open them.

Clenching both his eyes and teeth, he slowly regained consciousness.

He found his legs and arms were constricted in movement.

Opening his eyes to the end of a blaster barrel.

"Whoa!!! Kriff... give me a heart attack why don't you?"

Looking past the barrel, he saw his friend/associate from his childhood. 

Poe Dameron. 

The son his father always and wanted and the boy his mother always favoured.

Looking like he wanted to kill him, kept the blaster aimed between Ben's eyes. 

"Not that I'm complaining but... I'm glad that you are still alive?"

Ben gave an awkward smile and Poe's face was unfazed.

"Trust me, you should be thankful that you are even breathing let alone alive" Lowing the blaster, Ben watched Poe walker over to a crate and leaned against it "But they wanted you alive saying that 'hell will raise upon if you are harmed'...yada...yada."

Ben twisted his head around and found himself staring at Finn.

FN-2187...the traitor...Rey's first friend.

Tears started building behind his eyes as Ben thought of Rey...well Regina now.

His head snapped back to Dameron "Sorry but...who told you that?"

Poe stared at Ben for a minute before looking over Ben's head.

"They did."

Twisting around, Ben saw three figures sitting in the shadows.

The three figure's turned their heads to Ben as if they sensed that they were being watched.

Ben watched one figure started moving towards him.

His throat staring tightening as his breath was caught.

Feeling a familiar presence, yet unfamiliar at the same. 

"Luke?"

The figure starting laughing and clutching his sides.

"No kid I'm not Luke. But I'm close enough" Removing his hood, everyone felt like their minds had not been blown enough with seeing Ahsoka but this was even more. "I mean relatively speaking, I may not be even on the same level as Luke."

Ben felt his heartbreaking. 

####################################################################

Pryde prided himself of maintaining a composure of control.

But all the trooper could see that the general was sweating bullets. 

His forehead beading with sweat.

His hands clenching into fists and covering his shortness of breath with a throat cough. 

"Excuse me, sir?"

Raising his eye's from his datapad Pryde viewed the co-pilot.

"We are about to land. Please brace yourselves were are experiencing some heavy winds."

Acknowledging the command, Pryde placed his datapad away and grabbed on the bars on either side of his body.

The troopers grabbed the overhead bar and the ship jostled from side to side.

The ship landed with a heavy thud and the passengers jolted briefly to the side.

Standing up from his seat, Pryde straightened his uniform and procced out the ships door.

"Wait here. If I do not return or you don't hear back from me in an hour hence. Return to Steadfast and resume your posts."

"Yes Sir!" all eight troopers and two pilots confirmed.

Pryde ventured into the Sith Temple to meet with the Emperor.

####################################################################

"Grandfather? How are you still alive? How did you get here?"

A million questions ran through Ben's mind as he saw...Anakin Skywalker standing before him in his prime.

Giving him a smirk, Anakin replied: "If I had a clue then your mother would be the first to know."

Rose voice choked and her eyes bulged open.

"Your Darth Vader?"

Turning towards the woman, Anakin face turned sombre as he remembered his sith identity.

"No, I am neither Anakin Skywalker nor am I, Darth Vader. I am...something in between."

Turing back to Ahsoka and the last hooded figure.

"Though I think my friend may know more about what we are than I do."

Ahsoka raised her head to the last figure and gestured her eyes to follows Anakin in revealing himself.

"Every since I've known you Anakin. You always let me do the talking while you swing your lightsaber."

More gasps filled the command room as the last figure revealed themself.

"Your...Obi-wan Kenobi. The famous Negotiator of the Clone Wars."

Poe exclaimed finding himself and his comrades to be before two great heroes of the Republic and one disgraced hero who helped destroy the first Empire.

"What Anakin means is that we are not dead and we are not alive. We are in a way...a god, to put it simply."

Finn took a step forward and pointing at them.

"But I thought the Force didn't work that way. The Jedi can't retain the subconscious to a physical form, but only as a ghost."

Grabbing a chair, Ahsoka further explained.

"Well...we're not exactly ghosts either. None of us crossed to the other side. And to be clear, only one of us died as a Jedi. I died as neither Jedi or sith and Anakin was a sith turned Jedi when he died."

Ben shooked his and exclaimed.

"But that still doesn't explain how you are here?"

Anakin crouched before his grandson.

"We are here because of Rey and you Ben. There is much to be done before the universe can relax." Standing up and looking around Anakin took note of how many officers and pilots are present "And this Resistance needs to find another base. I fear our enemies know where we are hiding."

Walking up to Poe, Anakin starred down the newly Resistance General. 

"We will explain all we can when we find a new base location and fortunately I know exactly the place."

In the background, an officer from the Rebellion Era shouted "Why should we trust your part of the reason we are in this mess when you failed to kill the Emporer Palpatine. So why should we listen to you?"

Obi-wan looked towards those who help great prejudice towards his old apprentice.

"Then everything you have fought for in the past 30 or odd so years will be wasted." 

Walking towards the door and stopping. 

Looking back over his shoulder.

"The universe may have given up hope but that doesn't mean you stop fighting. You have to give people hope and you must continue to do so. But we need to survive to give people a reason to hope." 

Finn jerked towards Ben who is still strapped securely to the chair.

"What about him...what do we do about him?"

Anakin turned back to his grandson and began to untie him.

"We take him with us."

Finn scoffed "Why?"

Turing to Finn "Because as long as he's with us the Final Order won't dare try and destroy."

Standing eye to eye and looking into Ben eye's "And because Rey won't let anything happen to him."

Kaydel spoke up for the first time "Why?"

"As long he lives, there is a chance that he turns Rey back and she turned him back from the dark."


End file.
